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DragonCon 2013 Reflections - Part II

In spite of all the people and the fun costumes (which I'm still not done showing you guys) a big part of why I go to DragonCon are the panels. Since this is a convention run by and for fans the panels are often the best part, the times when you get to hear directly from the actors, actresses, authors, artists, etc. that inspire you.

Every year it seems to get a little bit harder to get into every panel that I want (I still haven't seen the Geeky Burlesque Show and was completed shut out of Adam and Jamie's Mythbuster panel) but since DragonCon actually clears the room between each one there's always a chance if you don't mind sitting in the back. I might have missed Amy Acker this year (did she actually do a panel at all? Anybody know?) but I DID get to see Lucy Lawless and hear from some of my favorite authors so I'm still considering this all a win!

"Spotlight on Lucy Lawless"

I had no idea what a wonderful beautiful human being Lucy Lawless is. I loved hearing her thoughts on playing the Xena role, a Xena movie, and how she felts about the long lasting effects the character had on viewers.

"Star Trek: Deep Space Nine"

Cirroc Lofton, Avery Brooks, Terry Farrell, Garrett Wang (r-l)

Since I've spent so much time with TNG and Voyager crew in the past I made this year the DS9 year (and it was there 20th Anniversary!). This was a very cool panel, each of the actors were very graceful and fun to listen to - and Avery Brooks is a nut (in a good way).

How could I not go to this panel?! I heard Jim Butcher individually the first year he went to DragonCon so this time around I got to hear a bunch of male authors talk about what they liked best writing in the genre. I was also introduced to a few authors I had never hear of before (James R. Tuck & John G. Hartness, books unread, were my favorites!).

Click below for more!

"Anime Makeup"

RJ Haddy, Benji Dove (r-l)

So poop on the crowds here, because while I loved this panel I really wanted to see the SciFi Face Off exclusive and couldn't get in. Luckily I got to hear RJ Haddy on this one because he's got a unique perspective on costume makeup versus beauty, and how he learned to do what he does (and how he passes those opportunities on to the next generation of artists).

"Anime Makeup"

Benji Dove, Chameleon Queen (r-l)

On the right the girl was getting anime eyes, the left a couture geisha. Neither were my fave but hey - it was a learning experience!

"Mighty Morphin' Mega Panel"

Karan Ashley, Robert Axelrod, Walter Jones (r-l)

Ok so Karan wasn't really *my* Yellow Ranger (Trini 4 LYFE) but this panel was fantastic none the less. I had the action figures for these people, watched the show and the movies long past when it was prudent (Ivan Oooze? Love that one!), and hearing how honored and blessed they felt to be able to play those roles? So freaking cool.

"Fetish Inspired Costuming"

Sometimes the best panels are the ones you hop into at the last minute and this one definitely qualifies as interesting if nothing else. Completely over my head when it came to the specifics of chain mail and leather working, but still worth it.

I did the full on "wait in line forever" for this one because HELLO - Mercedes Lackey people. I have a million of her books on my shelf and wouldn't be the reader I am today without her work. Kind of surprised by how pragmatic she is about the whole thing but hey [shrug] to each their own.

An unexpectedly fantastic panel! All of these guys had a great rapport and bounced questions and topics between each other with ease. I never knew just how immersed Laura Ann Gilman was/is in the book field or how many other genres she's versed in. Also, John G Hartness was still hilarious and Delilah Dawson complemented me on my dress [fans self].

"The Sci-Fi Janitors Present: The Late Night Puppet Slam"

So I already talked a little in my Awkward and Awesome post about why this puppet slam wasn't my favorite but since it's the biggest slam IN THE WORLD there was bound to be some hits and misses. It was still a lot of fun to watch on the whole and the Bobbi & Carla costumes my friend put together were a major hit!

And that's almost it folks! I have one more costumes post to put up and hopefully by that point I'll also have a collective Facebook album to point ya'll too. Miss out on Part I?

"I'm selfish, impatient and a little insecure. I make mistakes, I am out of control and at times hard to handle. But if you can't handle me at my worst, then you sure as hell don't deserve me at my best." --Marilyn Monroe

"It's not about the hundred people whose minds you can't change. It's about the two people you empower." --Beth Ditto

"The whole thing with makeup is you can't be scared. Cause if you don't try and experiment you'll never know what you can create." --Eve Pearl

"Your body is the one thing you TRULY own for the rest of your life, and life is way too short to waste time hating it." --Kerosene Deluxe